Stowable child seat for automotive vehicles

ABSTRACT

A child seat mount assembly, a seat for mounting a child seat, and a passenger vehicle having a stowable child seat are provided. A seat back is connected to the body for closing an access opening to a storage compartment and seating an occupant in an upright position, and for opening the access opening in a collapsed position. A child seat mounting plate is connected to the seat back such that the mounting plate and child seat extend into the storage compartment in the upright position of the seat back, and such that the child seat is in a seating position in the collapsed position of the seat back. A method is provided for converting a vehicle seat for receiving and storing a child seat in the storage compartment, and for deploying a child seat in the collapsed position of the seat back.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is a division of U.S. application Ser. No. 13/181,092filed Jul. 12, 2011, now U.S. Pat. No. ______, which is a division ofU.S. application Ser. No. 12/690,401 filed Jan. 20, 2010, now U.S. Pat.No. 8,002,325 B2, which is a division of U.S. application Ser. No.11/844,655 filed Aug. 24, 2007, now U.S. Pat. No. 7,658,431 B2, thedisclosures of which are incorporated in their entirety by referenceherein.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The invention relates to child seats for automotive vehicles, automotivevehicles having stowable child seats, assemblies for mounting childseats in vehicles, and methods of manufacturing automotive seats forstowing child seats.

BACKGROUND

The prior art has offered child seats that are installed into vehicles,including mounting hardware within the vehicle, such as anchor hoops formounting a child seat or child seat base within a vehicle. The prior arthas also offered child seats that are stowed within seating of thevehicle, which can be deployed for use.

Another offering of the prior art is to mount a child seat to a backsurface of a seat back within a vehicle. The prior art also provides acollapsible child seat on a back surface of a seat back to be collapsedand stowed into a trunk when not in use.

SUMMARY

One embodiment of the invention discloses a passenger vehicle having avehicle body with a passenger compartment and a storage compartmentadjacent to and rearward of the passenger compartment. A seat isoriented in the passenger compartment adjacent to the storagecompartment and having a first seating position and a second seatingposition. The first seating position includes a seat back disposedgenerally vertical to provide a seating surface in the passengercompartment and includes a bracket adapted to receive a child seatpivotably transverse connected to the seat back and disposed in thestorage compartment. The second seating position including the bracketdisposed in the passenger compartment.

Another embodiment of the invention discloses a seating system having aseat back arranged in a generally vertical inclined position including abracket for a child seat attached thereto such that the child seatattached thereto lies generally flat on the vehicle floor near the seatback. The seat back is translatable into a generally horizontal positionwhereby the bracket for a child seat translates therewith and isrotatable from a position permitting a rearward facing child seatconfiguration and to a forward facing child seat configuration.

Another embodiment of the invention discloses a seating system having aseat back adjustable from a first child seating position to a secondseating position. A bracket for receiving a child seat is pivotallyattached to the seat back at its first end and pivotally linked to avehicle at its second end, the second end raising in vertical elevationas the seat back is adjusted from the first child seating position to asecond seating position thereby limiting the vertical elevation of achild seat received by the bracket.

In yet another embodiment, a passenger vehicle is disclosed with avehicle body having a passenger compartment and a storage compartmentwith an access opening between these compartments. A seating row isoriented in the passenger compartment adjacent to the storagecompartment, with a seat bottom mounted to the vehicle body and a seatback pivotally connected to the vehicle body for closing the accessopening and for seating an occupant in an upright position, and foropening the access opening in a collapsed position, whereby a rearsurface of the seat back faces upward. A mounting plate for receiving achild seat is pivotally connected to the seat back such that themounting plate is supported upon the rear surface of the seat back inthe collapsed position of the seat back for positioning the child seatin a seating position for seating a child. An angle between the mountingplate and the rear surface of the seat back diverges at a lower regionof the seat back in the upright position of the seat back forpositioning the child seat within the storage compartment.

Another embodiment of the invention discloses a vehicle seat having aseat back to be pivotally connected within a passenger compartment ofthe vehicle adjacent to a storage compartment for seating an occupant inan upright position of the seat back, and for providing access to thestorage compartment in a collapsed position, whereby a rear surface ofthe seat back faces upward. A mounting plate for receiving a child seatis pivotally connected to the seat back such that the mounting plate issupported upon the rear surface of the seat back in the collapsedposition of the seat back for positioning the child seat in a seatingposition for seating a child. An angle between the mounting plate andthe rear surface of the seat back diverges at a lower region of the seatback in the upright position of the at least one seat back forpositioning the child seat within the storage compartment.

Yet another embodiment of the invention discloses an assembly formounting a child seat to a rear surface of a vehicle seat back adjacentto a storage compartment for seating an occupant and stowing the childseat in the storage compartment in an upright position of the seat back,and for seating a child in a collapsed position of the seat back. A baseplate is pivotally connected about a generally transverse axis to anupper region of the seat back. A balance link is pivotally connected toa lower region of the base plate and is adapted to be pivotallyconnected to one of the seat back and a floor of the storage compartmentto pivot the base plate away from the seat back in the upright positionand to pivot the base plate to increase an angle between the base plateand the rear surface of the seat back in the collapsed position. Amounting plate is adapted for receiving a child seat mounted and isrotatably connected to the base plate about an axis that is generallyperpendicular to the mounting plate for rotating the child seat to aplurality of positions relative to the seat back and for positioning ahigh point of the child seat radially inward relative to a pivot axis ofthe seat back before extending the seat back to an upright position,thereby minimizing a radial range of travel of the child seat.

Another embodiment of the invention is a method for converting a vehicleseat back adjacent to a storage compartment for seating an occupant inan upright position of the seat back, for receiving and stowing a childseat in the storage compartment, and for seating a child in a collapsedposition of the seat back. A base plate is pivotally connected to anupper region of the seat back about a generally transverse axis. Abalance link is pivotally connected to a lower region of the base plateto pivot the base plate away from the seat back in the upright positionand to pivot the base plate to retract on the rear surface of the seatback in the collapsed position. A mounting plate is rotatably connectedto the base plate about an axis that is generally perpendicular to themounting plate, for receiving a child seat and for rotating the childseat to a plurality of positions.

Yet another embodiment of the invention discloses a link for cooperatingwith a child seat assembly pivotally connected to a rear surface of aseat back that is pivotally connected to a vehicle body. The link has afirst end pivotally connected to the child seat assembly and a secondend pivotally connected to one of the seat back and the vehicle body toadd to an overall radius of the child seat relative to the pivotalconnection of the seat back in an upright orientation of the seat backto stow the child seat assembly, and to subtract from an overall radiusof the child seat relative to the pivotal connection of the seat back ina collapsed orientation of the seat back to retract the seat assemblyupon the rear surface of the seat back.

Other embodiments, features, benefits and uses of the present inventionare readily apparent from the detailed description of embodiments of theinvention when taken in connection with the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a side perspective view of a passenger compartment of avehicle in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a partial perspective view of a rear seating row of thepassenger compartment of FIG. 1, illustrating a seat back in anintermediate position;

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the rear seating row of FIG. 2,illustrating the seat back in a collapsed position;

FIG. 4 is another partial perspective view of the rear seating row,illustrating the seat back in the collapsed position and a reactionplate in an extended position;

FIG. 5 is another partial perspective view of the rear seating row,illustrating a child seat in a first position during installation to therear seating row;

FIG. 6 is another partial perspective view of the rear seating row,illustrating the child seat in an intermediate position;

FIG. 7 is another partial perspective view of the rear seating row,illustrating the child seat installed in a rear facing position;

FIG. 8 is a partial exploded perspective view of a child seat mountingassembly and a vehicle seat;

FIG. 9 is a top plan view of the collapsed vehicle seat of FIG. 8;

FIG. 10 is a rear perspective view of a storage compartment of thepassenger vehicle of FIG. 1;

FIG. 11 is another rear perspective view of the storage compartment ofthe passenger vehicle of FIG. 1, illustrating the child seat in apartially stowed position;

FIG. 12 is a rear perspective view of the storage compartment of thepassenger vehicle of FIG. 1, illustrating the child seat in the stowedposition;

FIG. 13 is a partial perspective view of the rear seating row of thevehicle of FIG. 1, illustrating the seat back in the collapsed positionand the child seat installed in a forward facing position;

FIG. 14 a is a side elevation view of the vehicle seat of FIG. 8illustrated in the collapsed position, with a child carrier and baseinstalled to the vehicle seat in a rear facing position;

FIG. 14 b is a side elevation view of the vehicle seat of FIG. 8illustrated in the collapsed position, with a child carrier installed tothe vehicle seat in a rear facing position;

FIG. 15 is a side elevation view of a rear seating row of anotherpassenger vehicle embodiment in accordance with the present invention;

FIG. 16 is a rear elevation view of a frame for a seat back inaccordance with the present invention;

FIG. 17 is a schematic illustration of the seat back, child seatmounting assembly, and a display in accordance with the presentinvention; and

FIG. 18 is a schematic of the vehicle seat, child seat mountingassembly, child seat, and display in accordance with the presentinvention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

As required, detailed embodiments of the present invention are disclosedherein; however, it is to be understood that the disclosed embodimentsare merely exemplary of the invention that may be embodied in variousand alternative forms. The figures are not necessarily to scale; somefeatures may be exaggerated or minimized to show details of particularcomponents. Therefore, specific structural and functional detailsdisclosed herein are not to be interpreted as limiting, but merely as arepresentative basis for teaching one skilled in the art to variouslyemploy the present invention.

Throughout the description the phrase “child seat” generally refers toany child seat that is mounted within the car for transporting a childor infant occupant. Such child seats include but are not limited torearward facing child seats, forward facing child seats, infantcarriers, infant carrier and base combinations, convertible child seats,any commercially available child or infant seats, and the like.

Referring now to FIG. 1, a passenger vehicle is illustrated inaccordance with an embodiment of the present invention and is referencedgenerally by numeral 20. The vehicle 20 has a vehicle body 22 with apassenger compartment 24. The depicted vehicle 20 is a sedan having afront seating row 26 with a pair of front doors 28 providing access foroccupant ingress and egress to and from the front seating row 26; andthe vehicle 20 has a rear seating row 30 with a pair of rear doors 32for permitting occupant ingress to and egress from the rear seating row30. An intermediate pillar between the front door 28 and the rear door32 is removed on the near side of the illustration to reveal thepassenger compartment 24. Although a sedan is depicted and described,the invention contemplates utilization of any passenger vehicle formounting a child seat for transporting a child, such as coupes, vans,trucks, sport utility vehicles and the like. Although two seating rows26, 30 are illustrated, the invention contemplates any number of seatingrows wherein a child seat is employed.

Referring now to FIGS. 1-3, the rear seating row 30 is depicted as abench seat for seating a plurality of occupants, for example, up tothree occupants. Of course, the invention contemplates various seatingstyles and configurations and is not limited to bench seats. The rearseating row 30 has a bench seat bottom 34 extending across the rearseating row 30 and mounted to a floor 36 of the passenger compartment24.

A bench seat back is collectively provided by a primary seat back 38 anda secondary seat back 40. Each of the seat backs 38, 40 are pivotallyconnected to the vehicle body 22 adjacent to a storage compartment suchas a trunk 42 (FIG. 2) so that when one of the seat backs 38, 40 ispivoted to a collapsed position, such as the collapsed position of thesecondary seat back 40 in FIG. 3, access to the trunk 42 is permitted.Although a trunk is illustrated as the storage compartment, theinvention contemplates utilization of any passenger vehicle storagecompartment for stowing a child seat within the spirit and scope of thepresent invention. Access to the trunk 42 is provided by the vehiclebody 22, which has an access opening 44 between the passengercompartment 24 and the trunk 42 for extending storage within the trunk42 into the passenger compartment 24 if necessary.

The bench seat of the rear seating row 30 is depicted having the pair ofseat backs 38, 40, wherein the primary seat back 38 provides the seatback for a rear driver side seat and a rear middle seat. The secondaryseat back 40 provides a seat back for a rear passenger side seat.Seating configurations that employ a primary and secondary seat backs38, 40 for a bench seat are often referred to as a sixty/forty seat,since the primary seat back 38 provides approximately sixty percent ofthe bench seat back and the secondary seat back 40 providesapproximately forty percent of the bench seat back. Of course, theinvention contemplates any number of seat backs in accordance with thepresent invention.

Referring now to FIGS. 2 and 3, a child seat mount assembly 46 isillustrated mounted to a rear surface 48 of the secondary seat back 40.The child seat mount assembly 46 is connected to the rear surface 48 ofthe secondary seat back 40 for mounting a variety of child seats uponthe assembly 46. Additionally, the child seat mount assembly 46 isutilized to stow the assembly 46 and the associated child seat withinthe trunk 42 when not in use.

In at least one embodiment, the child seat mount assembly 46 includes abase plate 50 pivotally connected to an upper region of the secondaryseat back 40 to retract to and lay flat upon the rear surface 48 of theseat back 40 as illustrated in FIG. 3 for receiving the child seat.Additionally, the base plate 50 pivots relative to the secondary seatback 40, as illustrated in an intermediate position in FIG. 2, to stowthe child seat in the trunk 42.

A balance link 52 is pivotally connected to a floor 54 of the trunk 42and is also pivotally connected to a lower region of the base plate 50to extend the base plate 50 away from the secondary seat back 40 in thestowed position and to retract the base plate 50 upon the rear surface48 of the seat back 40 in the collapsed position of the seat back 40 asillustrated in FIG. 3. Although a single balance link 52 is depicted,the invention contemplates any number of balance links, such as a pairof balance links to structurally enhance the connection. Although thebalance link 52 is illustrated as a rod, the balance link 52 could be apanel hinged along the base plate 50.

Although the child seat assembly 46 is illustrated connected to thetrunk floor 54, the child seat assembly 46 can be connected to anycomponent in the vehicle body 22, or could have another connection withthe seat back 40 for facilitating the stowed and deployed positions ofthe child seat assembly 46.

In the collapsed orientation of the secondary seat back 40, the rearsurface 48 is aligned generally coplanar with the trunk floor 54 andtherefore the floor 36 of the passenger compartment 24 is oriented belowthe trunk floor 54. Thus, the rear surface 48 of the seat back 40provides an extension of a load floor provided by the trunk floor 54when cargo is loaded to extend from the trunk 42 into the passengercompartment 24. When the seat back 40 is pivoted to the upright positionas illustrated in FIG. 1, the seat back 40 is pivoted past a verticalposition providing an acute angle between the seat back 40 and the trunkfloor 54. By extending the bottom of the base plate 50 away from theseat back 40, interference of the child seat against the load floor 54is prevented.

The secondary seat back 40 is pivotally connected to the floor 36 of thepassenger compartment 24 by a recline mechanism 56. The reclinemechanism 56 may be any known recline mechanism, however instead oflocking in the upright position only, the recline mechanism 56 locks inthe upright position illustrated in FIG. 1 and the collapsed position inFIG. 3. The recline mechanism is unlocked from these two lockedpositions by a release lever 58 oriented on the rear surface 48 of thesecondary seat back 40. The release lever 58 may cooperate with therecline mechanism 56 by a cable within the secondary seat back 40. Forexample, the release lever 58 may retract a spring biased locking pinthat engages the seat back 40 at two locked positions, upright andcollapsed. By locking the secondary seat back 40 in the collapsedposition of FIG. 3, a fixed seating position is provided for the childseat mount assembly 46.

With reference to FIG. 3, the child seat mount assembly 46 includes amounting plate 60 for mounting the child seat. The mounting plate 60 ispivotally connected to the base plate 50 for pivoting about an axis thatis generally perpendicular to the plates 50, 60 for providing variousseating positions of the child seat and for permitting installation ofthe child seat in one position and subsequent rotation to anotherposition. The pivotal connection also permits child ingress and egressto the child seat in one position of the child seat in subsequentseating of another position. Further, the pivotal connection permitsrotating the child seat until a high point of the child seat is radiallyinward for minimizing a radial range of travel of the child seat as itis being stowed. In other words, the child seat is oriented forwardfacing before being stowed so that the seat back of the child seat isoriented closer to the recline mechanism 56 with respect to a rearwardfacing direction. A locking mechanism is provided between the mountingplate 60 and the base plate 50 for locking the mounting plate 60 in theseating position. A release lever 62 is provided on a side of the seatback 40 for releasing the locking mechanism for pivoting the mountingplate 60 relative to the base plate 50.

Conventional child seats are anchored to an existing car seat in surfacecontact with the associated seat bottom and seat back in the uprightposition of the seat back. Since the seat back 40 is collapsed forreceiving the child seat, a reaction plate 64 is provided by the childseat mount assembly 46 for supporting the child seat in a longitudinaldirection of the vehicle. The reaction plate 64 is pivotally connectedto the mounting plate 60 and is illustrated in a stowed position in FIG.3. Referring now to FIG. 4, the reaction plate 64 is illustrated in anextended position for receiving an associated child seat. The reactionplate 64 and mounting plate 60 are illustrated in an opposed directionto that of the seating direction, for receiving a child seat to besubsequently mounted in a rearward facing direction.

Referring now to FIG. 5, a child seat 66 is illustrated installed uponthe mounting plate 60 of the child seat mount assembly 46. The childseat 66 can be any conventional child seat for installation into avehicle. Specifically the child seat 66 depicted is for rearward facingand therefore the child seat 66 is installed with a front portiondisposed beneath the reaction plate 64. The position of the mountingplate 60 and the reaction plate 64 in FIG. 5 may be utilized forinstalling the child seat 66 into the vehicle 20, or for ingress andegress of a child occupant to and from the child seat 66.

Once the child seat 66 is installed and the child occupant in seated, apassenger may actuate the release lever 62 for unlocking the mountingplate 60 and for rotating the mounting plate 60. With reference to FIG.6, the child seat 66 and mounting plate 60 are illustrated in anintermediate position as the child seat 66 and mounting plate 60 arerotated to a rearward facing direction, which is illustrated in FIG. 7.

In FIG. 7, the child seat 66 is illustrated installed and locked in arearward facing position. The mounting plate 60 includes a plurality ofhoops 68, specifically four hoops 68 each at one of the four corners ofthe mounting plate 60. The rearward hoops 68 are oriented adjacent tothe reaction plate 64 for providing an anchoring position similar tothat of anchoring hoops that are typically provided between a seat backand seat bottom. Belts 70 of the child seat 66 are anchored to the hoops68 and are tightened such that the child seat 66 is anchored downagainst the mounting plate 60 and rearward against the reaction plate64. Thus, when the belts 70 are in tension, the child seat 66 isanchored down in a direction that is illustrated by the arrow in FIG. 7.This mounting condition is the same structurally as that of a child seatsitting upon a seat bottom with the belts connected to anchor hoops intension with the front of the child seat against the seat back. Thus,the child seat 66 gets the same support from the child seat mountassembly 46 in comparison to the prior art mounting configurations.

Conventional child seats that are utilized in both rearward facing andforward facing directions are often provided with hooked belts 70 formounting in the rearward facing direction and a centrally mounted hookedbelt 72, often referred to as a tether, which can be connected to ananchor hoop that is mounted on the floor of the passenger compartment24. Accordingly, a hoop 73 is provided centrally at a forward region ofthe mounting plate to connect the tether 72 as illustrated in FIG. 7. Byproviding the hoop 73 at the forward location on the child seat mountassembly 46, the belt 72 can be connected close to the child seat 66thereby providing a compact mounting configuration that does not extendto the floor.

The belts 70 anchor the child seat 66 to the child seat mount assembly46 for support during a crash in a forward direction. The child seat 66may alternatively include a pair of belts extending from a rear side ofthe child seat 66 to be connected to the forward hoops 68. The belts aretightened to anchor the rear of the child seat 66 to withstandaccelerations from a rearward direction, such as a rear end impact.

Referring now to FIG. 8, the child seat mount assembly 46 is illustratedpartially exploded. The child seat mount assembly 46 includes a bracket74 that is fastened to a frame within the seat back 40. Although thebracket 74 is illustrated substantially along the rear surface 48 of theseat back 4, the invention contemplates any bracket size adequate tosecure the assembly 46 to the seat back 40. For example, the bracket 74may be limited in area to a top region of the seat back 40.

The base plate 50 is pivotally connected to the bracket 74 about atransverse axis at the upper region of the bracket 74. The balance link52 is pivotally connected to a lower end of base plate 50 and is alsopivotally connected to the trunk floor 54 for extending the base plate50 from the bracket 74 in the stowed position and for collapsing thebase plate 50 upon the bracket 74 in the collapsed position of the seatback 40.

A bearing assembly 76 connects the mounting plate 60 to the base plate50 for permitting the mounting plate 60 to pivot to various positionsrelative to the base plate 50, while providing bearing support to themounting plate 60 and the child seat 66. The release lever 62 releases aspring loaded locking pin 78 to unlock the mounting plate 60. Thelocking pin 78 is spring loaded to extend into one of two apertures 80formed in the mounting plate 60. In one embodiment, the release lever 62is mounted to a side of the bracket 74, as depicted for release lever58, with a cable extending beneath the base plate 50 for cooperatingwith the locking pin 78. Four corner hoops 68 and two central hoops 73are provided on the mounting plate 50 to provide a universal mountingconfiguration for various child seats.

The child seat mount assembly 46 is a compact assembly that can beinstalled into the vehicle by fastening the assembly 46 to the seat back40 and assembling the balance link 52 to one of the seat back 40 and thevehicle body 22. The trunk floor 54 may be utilized, as in the presentembodiment, due to existing mounting hardware for the rear seating row30. Thus, the child seat mount assembly 46 can be assembled duringassembly of the vehicle, assembled during assembly of the seats for thevehicle, or installed in the aftermarket. In order to accommodate theseoptions, the pivotal connection for the trunk floor 54 can be providedin the production vehicle by providing an aperture in an existingbracket, or the pivotal connection could be a bracket that is installedin the aftermarket. Likewise, the child seat mount assembly 46 can befastened to the seat back 40 by screwing the bracket 74 into the frameof the seat back 40.

When the child seat 66 is no longer in use, the child seat 66 can bestowed in the trunk 42. Referring again to FIG. 7, when the child seat66 is in the rearward facing direction, the highest point of the childseat 66, which is the top rear head support region, is at an outwardmost radial dimension relative to the recline mechanism 56. In order tominimize a radial path of the child seat 66, the child seat 66 isrotated back to a forward facing direction as illustrated in FIG. 5.

Referring now to FIG. 10, the vehicle 20 is illustrated as a hatchbackwith a hatchback opening 82 and a hatch door 84 pivotally connected tothe vehicle body 22. The hatch door 84, in at least one embodiment, maybe opened before stowing the child seat 66 in order to provideadditional clearance for the movement of the child seat 66. In anotherembodiment, additional clearance is not required. The hatch 84 may beprovided in the open orientation by a series of gas shocks 86. Inanother embodiment, the hatch 84 may be power driven by a pair ofactuators 88, which may be pneumatic cylinders, hydraulic cylinders,motor driven lead screws, or any suitable actuator.

In FIG. 10, the child seat 66 is illustrated forward facing with theseat back 40 in the collapsed position. In order to stow the child seat66, the user actuates the release lever 58 to unlock the seat back 40and pivots the seat back 40, as illustrated by an intermediate positionin FIG. 11. As illustrated in FIG. 11, when the seat back 40 is tiltedrearward, the balance link 52 extends the child seat 66 and the base andmounting plates 50, 60 away from the rear surface 48 of the seat back 40to avoid interference of the child seat 66 against the trunk floor 54.

A cargo net 90 is illustrated in the trunk 42 in FIG. 11, which may beutilized to separate the stowed child seat 66 from any cargo that may bestored in the trunk 42. Likewise, the cargo net 90 can be utilized tokeep cargo out of the region for stowing the child seat 66 so that theuser can stow the child seat 66 without having to move cargo within thetrunk 42.

Referring now to FIG. 12, the child seat 66 is illustrated in the stowedposition, with the seat back 40 in the upright position. Although onechild seat 66 and one child seat mount assembly 46 are illustrated, theinvention contemplates that a pair of child seat mount assemblies 46 canbe utilized in accordance with the present invention. Thus, anotherchild seat mount assembly 46 can be mounted to the primary seat back 38for receiving another child seat.

The seat back 40 can be redeployed by actuating the release lever 62,and pivoting the seat back 40 to the collapsed position therebyconveying the child seat 66 from the stowed position to the deployedposition of FIG. 10. Then, the child seat 66 can be rotated back to therearward seating position illustrated in FIG. 7.

The child seat mount assembly 46 includes the hoops 68 in the regulatedpositions for mounting all standard and commercially available childseats. Referring now to FIG. 13, the child seat mount assembly 46 isillustrated for mounting a forward facing child seat 92. Forward facingchild seats such as the child seat 92 are utilized for seating upon aseat bottom with a seat back of the child seat 92 engaging a seat backin the vehicle. Additionally, a hooked belt 94 is utilized forconnecting the forward facing child seat 92 to a rear mounting location,such as a hoop on a package tray or a hoop on a back surface of theassociated seat back.

The child seat 92 is supported upon the mounting plate 60. The reactionplate 64 is provided in the extended position for engaging a rearsurface of the child seat 92. The belt 94 is connected to the rearwardhoop 73, and the belt 94 tightened in tension such that the child seat92 is secured in a vector illustrated by the arrow in FIG. 13, which isthe same support provided by a conventional seat bottom and seat back.Additionally, the child seat 92 may be provided with another pair ofhooked belts 96 for securing to a forward pair of hoops 68 for securingthe child seat 92 for a rear end impact. If the child seat 92 isprovided with a central belt in a forward region of the child seat 92,for mounting to the floor, the belt can be connected to the forwardcentral hoop 73 (FIGS. 3 and 4).

The forward facing child seat 92 can also be stored in the trunk 42 byunlocking the seat back 40 and pivoting the seat back 40 to the uprightposition as discussed above with the prior embodiment child seatillustrated in FIG. 10-11. Likewise, the child seat 92 can be redeployedfrom storage by unlocking the seat back 40 and pivoting the seat back tothe collapsed position.

Referring now to FIG. 14 a, the child seat mount assembly 46 can also beutilized with a child seat 98 that includes a base 100 and a detachablechild carrier 102. These child seats 98 are often utilized for smallerchildren, such as newborns and infants up to a predefined weight, suchas twenty-five pounds. The base and carrier child seats 98 have adetachable carrier 102 for carrying the infant outside of the vehicle20. Thus, the base 100 is mounted within the vehicle 20 and the carrier102 is attached to the base 100 for transportation of the childoccupant. These child seats 98 are also provided with hooked belts 104on the base 100 for connecting the base 100 to the anchor hoops 68.Conventional base and carrier child seats such as the child seat 98 aresupported by the base 100 resting upon the seat back. The belts 104 aretightened to secure the base 100 against the seat back such that thechild seat 98 is secured in a vector illustrated by the arrow in FIG.14. Likewise, when installed upon the child seat mount assembly 46, thebase 100 is secured against the reaction plate 64 for providingequivalent support as that provided by a seat back.

The carrier 100 may include a forward hooked belt 106 for connecting thebase 100 to the floor of the passenger compartment. Accordingly, thebelt 106 can be connected to the hoop 73 for providing support in caseof a rear impact without having to occupy space on the floor.

The child seat 98, or just the base 100, can also be stored in the trunkby rotating the child seat 98 to face forward and then by unlocking theseat back 40 and pivoting the seat back 40 to the upright position, asillustrated and described with reference to FIGS. 10-12 with the priorembodiment.

With reference now to FIG. 14 b, a child seat mount assembly 107 mayalso be provided with a base 100 in an alternative embodiment. The base100 may be mounted directly to the base plate 50 thereby eliminating themounting plate 60 as depicted. Alternatively, the base 100 may befastened to the mounting plate 60. As yet another alternative, the base100 can be formed integrally with the mounting plate 60. Thus, the base100 can be incorporated into the child mount assembly 107 to support thecarrier 98 in the required vector without having to utilize the belts104, 106.

The child seat mount assembly 46 overcomes many of the shortcomings ofthe prior art options. Prior art child seats that are mounted to a seatare typically difficult and time consuming to correctly install.Therefore, once the prior art child seat or base is properly installed,the user is hesitant or unlikely to uninstall the child seat for seatingother occupants. Therefore, once a child seat is installed, the seatingis typically limited to a fewer number of ordinary sized occupants.Additionally, parents when traveling without their child, have a childseat or child seat base mounted within the car which obfuscates theornamental appearance of the vehicle interior.

Since prior art child seats are installed in the included angle providedbetween the seat bottom and the seat base, the child seat, in somevehicles, extends sufficiently forward in the rearward facing positionthereby limiting a rearward position of a seat in the front seating row,or tilt angle in the front seating row, thereby compromising front rowleg room, or front row recline. The child seat assembly 46 is orientedrearward in comparison to prior art child seat installations because thecollapsed seat back 40 does not provide a rearward limitation to theorientation of the child seat. Since the child seat assembly 46 orientsthe associated child seat further rearward than is permitted in priorart mountings, compromises to front row leg room and recline areminimized.

When child seats are mounted upon the seat bottom in engagement with theseat back, under tension by the associated belts, permanent deformationmay be imparted to the surfaces of the seats, particularly to leatherseats. Additionally, permanent deformation may be imparted to theunderlying foam. These deformation characteristics are overcome bymounting the child seat mount assembly 46 to a non-seating surface,specifically the rear surface 48 of the seat back 40. Additionally,children often spill crumbs or fluids on seats that soil seat surfaces.By seating the child on the rear surface 48 of the seat, soiling of theseat surface upon which the child is seated is avoided.

The prior art has provided child seats incorporated into existingseating rows. Such seating is limited to a specific vehicle, and if afamily has multiple vehicles, child seats are still required for theother vehicles. Additionally, such child seats add cost to the vehicle,and consumers are hesitant to pay for child seats when not required.Thus, consumers who subsequently have children after the purchase of thevehicle often utilize child seats and child seat bases that aresubsequently installed into the vehicle. The child seat assembly 46 ofthe present invention permits to consumer to convert the vehicle to avehicle with a stowable child seat after the purchase of the vehicle.Likewise, the child seat assembly 46 permits automobile dealerships toinstall the assembly 46 if requested by a consumer.

The prior art has provided child seats that are mounted directly to theseat back. Such configurations are limited to minivans and are notsuitable for sedans, because of the raised trunk floor within sedans.

The prior art has also provided collapsible child seats that can bestowed within a trunk. Collapsible child seats are inherently lessstructurally sound than conventional child seats and require theconsumer to purchase a more complicated child seat and therefore morecostly child seat, that is not universal and therefore cannot beinstalled in every vehicle. Further, prior art child seats that areintegrated into a vehicle prohibit traveling in different vehicles orflying with the child seat to another destination.

Thus, the child seat mount assembly 46 can be purchased with thepurchase of the vehicle and received assembled by the manufacturer.Alternatively, if a consumer has children after the purchase of avehicle, the consumer can purchase the child seat mount assembly 46 onthe aftermarket, such as at the dealer, and have the child seat mountassembly 46 installed into the vehicle 20.

Referring now to FIG. 15, a child seat mount assembly 46 is illustratedmounted to a vehicle seat 108 of another embodiment motor vehicle 110.The vehicle 110 is a sedan having a trunk lid 112 pivotally connected toa vehicle body 114 rearward of a rear window 116. The trunk lid 112 doesnot provide additional clearance as provided by the hatch door 84 of theprior embodiment. Additionally, a package tray 118 is mounted within thepassenger compartment 120 of the vehicle 110. As a seat back 122 of theseat 108 is pivoted to a collapsed position, the balance link 52collapses the child seat mount assembly 46 thereby subtracting from theradial path of travel of a child seat 124 relative to a pivotalconnection of the seat back 122 to clear the trunk lid 112 and packagetray 118. Thus, the child seat mount assembly 46 may be utilized withvarious vehicles, such as hatchbacks and sedans with trunk lids.Likewise, the balance link 52 adds to the radial dimension of the childseat 124 relative to the seat back 122 pivotal connection, therebyextending the child seat 124 and preventing interference with a trunkfloor 126, which is oriented higher than a floor 128 of a passengercompartment.

Referring now to FIG. 16, a frame 130 for a seat back 132 is illustratedin accordance with the present invention. The frame 130 is formed of asuitable construction including side members 134 and cross members 136.A series of fastening locations are provided on the frame 130 forfastening the child seat mount assembly 46 to the seat back frame 130.In one embodiment, the fastening locations are provided by a series ofthreaded nuts 138, which are each welded to the frame 130 duringassembly of the frame 130. Of course any fastener arrangement,configuration, or number of fasteners is contemplated within the spiritand scope of the present invention. Thus, during assembly of theassociated seat, a child seat mount assembly is fastened to the frame130 by inserting screws into the bracket 74 of the child seat mountassembly 46, into the seat back 132 and in threaded engagement with thenuts 138, thereby securely attaching the child seat to the seat backframe 130.

The fastening locations 138 can be provided standard on seat backs ofstandard vehicles, where a child seat mount assembly has not beenrequested. Therefore, if a consumer desires to add a child seat mountassembly 46 after the vehicle has been purchased, the child seat mountassembly 46 can be added by forming holes in a rear material of the seatback 132 and fastening the child seat mount assembly 46 to the frame130.

Some seat backs may be provided with a rear plate formed of stampedmetal, plastic or any suitable material for providing a load floor whenthe seat back is in the collapsed position. Thus, the plate may beprovided with holes that are aligned with the weld nuts 138 forreceiving the mounting screws for the child seat assembly 46. The holesmay also help the installer identify the locations of the weld nuts 138to prevent misplacement of pierced holes into a rear covering materialon the seat back 132.

Consumers are often concerned with the status of installation of a childseat. For example, it is common for consumers to have the installationof the child seat inspected by a manual inspector. FIG. 17 illustrates aschematic of a seat back 140, which includes a sensor 142 in a reclinemechanism 144 of the seat back 140 to detect if the seat back 140 isfully collapsed and in the locked position. Additionally, a sensor 146is provided on a locking pin mechanism 148 for confirming that amounting plate 150 of an associated child seat mount assembly 152 is ina locked position. Additionally, another sensor 154 is provided beneaththe mounting plate 150 to determine which direction the mounting plate150 is facing. The sensor 154 may also measure a position of a reactionplate 156. The sensors 142, 146, 154 are all in communication with adisplay 158, which is provided in a front seating row of the vehicle,such as front seating row 26 in FIG. 1, for informing the driver thatthe child seat mount assembly 152 is in a locked position for travel andthat the child seat is properly installed. Thus, when the display 158indicates to the driver which seats are occupied and whether theoccupants are buckled, the display 158 also provides an indication thatthe child seat is installed and secured.

Referring now to FIG. 18, alternatively, a seat back 160 may include anantenna 162 for reading a radio frequency identification (RFID) tag 164that is mounted on an associated child seat 166. The antenna 162 readsthe RFID tag 164 to determine if the child seat 166 is properlyinstalled and in the right location and orientation. This informationmay be determined by the antenna 162 identifying the location andorientation of the RFID tag 164. Alternatively, this information may beprovided by sensors within the child seat 166 mounting hardware thatinform the RFID tag 164 of the installation conditions. The antenna 162is in communication with the display 168 in the front seating row of thevehicle for indicating to the driver the conditions of the seat back 160being occupied by a child seat 166 and whether the child seat 166 isproperly installed.

It is common for consumers to purchase aftermarket products that are notapproved for installation within a vehicle for viewing the child. Suchproducts include mirrors that are mounted rearward of a rearward facingchild, for example, mirrors that are mounted upon a rear window of avehicle. These products are not typically secured to the vehicle towithstand crash conditions and therefore are not approved by vehiclemanufacturers for installation within the vehicle.

A vehicle camera 170 is installed within the vehicle and secured to thevehicle body for viewing the occupant of the child seat 166. The camera170 is in communication with the display 168 for providing images of theoccupant of the child seat 166 upon the display 168. The images may be acontinuous motion picture or may be incremental captured images. Thecamera 170 can be any suitable camera, such as those known in the artfor rear parking assistance. The camera 170 may have multiple mountinglocations within the vehicle for accommodating multiple seatingorientations, such as forward facing as illustrated in FIG. 18, rearwardfacing, multiple seats within the vehicle, and the like. The camera 170may also have a rearward facing direction to face a rear window for rearparking assistance, when not employed for monitoring the occupant.

While exemplary embodiments are described above, it is not intended thatthese embodiments describe all possible forms of the invention. Rather,the words used in the specification are words of description rather thanlimitation, and it is understood that various changes may be madewithout departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.Additionally, the features of various implementing embodiments may becombined to form further embodiments of the invention.

1. A passenger vehicle comprising: a vehicle body having a passengercompartment and a storage compartment adjacent to the passengercompartment, with an access opening between the passenger compartmentand the storage compartment; a seating row oriented in the passengercompartment adjacent to the storage compartment, the seating row havingat least one seat bottom mounted to the vehicle body and at least oneseat back pivotally connected to the vehicle body for closing the accessopening and for seating an occupant in an upright position of the atleast one seat back, and for opening the access opening in a collapsedposition of the at least one seat back, whereby a rear surface of the atleast one seat back faces upward for receiving a child seat mountedthereto; a front seating row oriented in the passenger compartmentforward of the seating row that is adjacent to the storage compartment;and a camera mounted in the passenger compartment directed at the childseat, the camera being in communication with a display in the frontseating row for conveying an image of an occupant in the child seat tothe display.
 2. The passenger vehicle of claim 1 further comprising amounting plate adapted for receiving a child seat mounted thereto, themounting plate being pivotally connected to the at least one seat backsuch that the mounting plate is supported upon the rear surface of theat least one seat back in the collapsed position of the at least oneseat back for positioning the child seat in a seating position forseating a child, and such that an angle between the mounting plate andthe rear surface of the at least one seat back diverges at a lowerregion of the at least one seat back in the upright position of the atleast one seat back for positioning the child seat within the storagecompartment.
 3. The passenger vehicle of claim 2 wherein the mountingplate is retracted to and displaced along the rear surface of the atleast one seat back in the collapsed position of the at least one seatback for positioning the child seat in a seating position for seating achild.
 4. The passenger vehicle of claim 2 wherein the mounting plateextends away from the at least one seat back and into the storagecompartment in the upright position of the seat back.
 5. The passengervehicle of claim 2 wherein the mounting plate is operably connected tothe vehicle body to extend the mounting plate away from the at least oneseat back in the upright position and to retract the mounting plate inthe collapsed position.
 6. The passenger vehicle of claim 2 wherein thestorage compartment has a floor that is oriented above a floor of thepassenger compartment and the mounting plate extends into the storagecompartment in the upright position of the at least one seat back toavoid interference of the child seat with the storage compartment floor.7. The passenger vehicle of claim 2 wherein the mounting plate ispivotally connected to an upper region of the rear surface of the atleast one seat back about a generally transverse axis.
 8. The passengervehicle of claim 7 further comprising a balance link pivotally connectedto a floor of the storage compartment and pivotally connected to a lowerregion of the mounting plate to pivot the mounting plate away from theat least one seat back in the upright position and to pivot the mountingplate to retract upon the rear surface of the at least one seat back inthe collapsed position.
 9. The passenger vehicle of claim 1 furthercomprising a display in communication with the camera for receiving theimage of the occupant in the child seat, and for displaying the image.10. The passenger vehicle of claim 9 wherein the image comprises acontinuous motion picture.
 11. The passenger vehicle of claim 9 whereinthe image comprises incremental captured images.
 12. The passengervehicle of claim 1 wherein the camera is oriented in a forward facingdirection.
 13. The passenger vehicle of claim 1 wherein the camera isoriented in a rearward facing direction.
 14. The passenger vehicle ofclaim 1 further comprising multiple mounting locations in the vehiclebody, each sized to receive and support the camera.
 15. The passengervehicle of claim 1 wherein the camera is oriented to face a rear window.16. A method for converting a vehicle seat back adjacent to a storagecompartment for seating an occupant in an upright position of the seatback, for receiving and stowing a child seat in the storage compartment,and for seating a child in a collapsed position of the seat backcomprising: fastening a bracket to a frame of the seat back; pivotallyconnecting a base plate to the bracket about a generally transverse axisat an upper region of the seat back; pivotally connecting a balance linkto a lower region of the base plate to pivot the base plate away fromthe seat back in the upright position and to pivot the base plate toretract upon the rear surface of the seat back in the collapsedposition; and rotatably connecting a mounting plate to the base plateabout an axis that is generally perpendicular to the mounting plate, themounting plate being adapted for receiving a child seat mounted thereto,for rotating the child seat to a plurality of positions relative to theseat back and for positioning a high point of the child seat radiallyinward relative to a pivot axis of the seat back before extending theseat back to an upright position, thereby minimizing a radial range oftravel of the child seat.
 17. The method of claim 16 further comprisingpivotally connecting a reaction plate to the mounting plate for a stowedposition and an extended position for supporting the child seat in alongitudinal direction.
 18. The method of claim 16 further comprisingwelding nuts to the frame for fastening the bracket to the frame. 19.The method of claim 18 further comprising forming holes in a rearmaterial of the seat back.
 20. The method of claim 19 further comprisinginserting screws into the brackets and the holes in the rear material ofthe seat back; and fastening the screws into the nuts.